Subclinical Naming Errors in Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Semantic Deficit?

WILLERS IF, FELDMAN M, ALLEGRI RF

DEMENTIA & NEUROPSYHOLOGIA

Associacao Neurologia Cognitiva e do Comportamento

Lugar: San Pablo , Brasil; Año: 2008 vol. 2 p. 217 - 222

1980-5764

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is the transitional stage between normal aging and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Impairments in semantic memory has been demonstrated that which is a critical factor in early AD. Boston Naming Test (BNT) is an easy way to examine semantic or viso-perceptual processing and therefore a potential diagnostic tool. The objective of this study was to examine naming ability and discriminate by error types in patient with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). Methods: Twenty aMCI patients, twenty patients with AD and twenty-one normal controls, matched by age, sex and education level were evaluated. As part of a further neuropsychological evaluation, all subjects were administered the BNT. A comprehensive classification of error types was devised in order to compare performance and to know semantic or perceptual origin of errors. Results AD patients obtained significantly lower total scores on the BNT than aMCI patients and controls. aMCI patients did not obtain significantly differences in total scores, but they showed significant higher semantic errors compared to controls. Conclusion: This study reveals that semantic processing is impaired during confrontation naming in aMCI.